Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

So I love garlic, it is my most favorite ingredient to use and I am lucky because, while not everyone shares my passion for garlic, at least my husband does and so I can use as much as I’d like without any hesitation on his part. I saw this recipe and I knew instantly that I would have to try it out. Surprisingly enough I did not think it was too garlic-y, I did not have smelly fingers or any remnants or garlic coming through my pores the next day. Nick and I came to the conclusion that because the recipe calls for whole cloves of garlic and not minced or chopped garlic that the strength of the garlic is pretty tame for being 40 cloves. This recipe was good and I may have to give it another try again someday.

Ingredients:

3 whole heads garlic, about 40 cloves
5-6 lbs chicken leg quarters, separated & cut into legs & thighs
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons good olive oil
3 tablespoons Bourbon (Maker's Mark), divided
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions:

1. Separate the cloves of garlic and drop them into a pot of boiling water for 60 seconds.

2.Drain the garlic and peel. Set aside. (If you want more convenience, use the already peeled whole garlic found in your produce market)

3.Dry the chicken with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the butter and oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In batches, saute the chicken in the fat, skin side down first, until nicely browned, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Turn with tongs or a spatula; you don't want to pierce the skin with a fork. If the fat is burning, turn the heat down to medium. When a batch is done, transfer it to a plate and continue to saute all the chicken in batches. Remove the last chicken to the plate.

4. Add all of the garlic to the pot. Lower the heat and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, turning often, until evenly browned.

5. Add 2 tablespoons of the bourbon and the wine, return to a boil, and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

6. Return the chicken to the pot with the juices and sprinkle with the thyme leaves. Cover and simmer over the lowest heat for about 30 minutes, until all the chicken is done. Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

7. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sauce and the flour and then whisk it back into the sauce in the pot. Raise the heat, add the remaining tablespoon of bourbon and the cream, and boil for 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

8. Pour the sauce and the garlic over the chicken and serve hot. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from http://joelens.blogspot.com/2009/09/chicken-with-40-cloves-of-garlic.html